In the days leading up to a holiday, we experience something interesting. Naturally, we see an uptick in customers. But what makes it interesting are the stories those last-minute customers tell us.
Often, they believed they had pet care lined up, only to have their sitter cancel at the last minute. And those are the lucky ones. Only some get that cancellation. Instead, their sitter ghosts them, leaving their pets and plans in limbo.
Unfortunately, hiring unreliable pet sitters can lead to neglect, accidents, and stress for both pets and parents. Those are the pet parents who call us in a panic on December 24th, asking for help.
At Oh, Fur Pet's Sake, we understand that our approach to pet care needs to be reliable and comprehensive. We assure you that we take every step to ensure the security and happiness of your pets.
Our view of pet sitting care needs to catch up
In recent years, we've elevated our pets to a significant role in our families. Pets get Christmas presents and birthday parties. They eat fresh, all-natural foods. Their toy boxes contain enrichment puzzles for all lifecycle stages. They likely wear winter gear for snow and rain jackets to keep the water off their Fur. Some even enjoy routine spa days with their friends.
But when it comes time to find them a pet sitter, we still ask friends, neighbors, or random kids to stop by to "check on them."
Informal pet care options, such as asking friends, neighbors, or random individuals to 'check on them,' can be risky. Even large nationwide services that claim to vet their sitters can't guarantee the safety and well-being of your pets. Nearly anyone can get into those databases and present themselves as a pet sitter, regardless of their experience or natural compassion for pets.
What about those big dot com services?
Those large services never meet or speak to the people they contract with to pet sit. And those people are not employed by those entities. They are considered independent contractors. That means they legally have zero oversight, guidance, or management. They only have to be willing to hand over a significant percentage — often half — of the earnings to the entity. In contrast, at Oh, Fur Pet's Sake, our sitters are employees, which means they are directly managed, trained, and supervised by us, ensuring the highest quality of care for your pets.
Oh, Fur Pet’s Sake shows up when we say we will and provide unmatched care you can trust and believe in.
You'll often hear that these large entities run background checks on their care providers. While factually accurate, the checks are minimal. And many people who contract through these services are just exiting high school. With juvenile records sealed, background checks practically scan blank sheets of paper.
So when we hear the stories of how people's pets have been injured, abandoned, lost, and otherwise mistreated, we are still sickened by the stories, but sadly, we are not surprised.
To be clear, we don't cast a wide net over every person encountered on these entities or who offers sitting on social media. Most professional, certified sitters start precisely that way.
What to ask a prospective pet sitter
Your responsibility as a pet parent is to do your due diligence when you hire a care provider for your pet. Ask the person what experience they have with pets. Do they seem capable of successfully navigating an emergency with your home or pet? Are they insured and bonded? Are they licensed and paying taxes? At Oh, Fur Pet's Sake, we go a step further. We ensure that our sitters are driven by and governed by their innate love and compassion for animals through our rigorous selection process, training program, and high standards.
When you hire Oh, Fur Pet's Sake, you know that the answer to all those questions is yes and that your pets will receive professional care. Not only do our mature sitters complete the highest level of background checks available, but they are also employees (not independent contractors) who follow the same professional standard of care we established on day one of this business.
We show up when we say we will and provide unmatched care you can trust and believe in. Unlike informal options, our professional pet care services offer a structured routine, ensure your pet's safety and well-being, and give you complete peace of mind. You love your pet enough to celebrate her birthday or gotcha day, let him sleep next to you in bed, and make sure she has all the best fashion accessories, so please don't trust his safety to anyone less than the best.
If you've considered trying our service but haven't yet, read some of our customer reviews to calm any nerves you may have.
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